Rio 2016 Olympics Launches Sports Pictograms

Olympics and Paralympics has a rich tradition of making pictograms for their sporting events, and Rio 2016 is no exception. The tradition started back in 1964, during Tokyo Olympics, where each edition of the games has depicted sports on its program through iconic graphic symbols that reflect the culture of the host nation.

“For the first time, all Olympic and Paralympic sports are individually represented. This is one of our unique contributions to the history of the Games. I congratulate the creative team for their dedication and hard work together with diverse groups who contributed to this launch.”

Carlos Nuzman (Rio 2016 President)

The pictograms help with the language barriers by allowing people all over the world who speak different languages to immediately recognize the sport. Some use of the pictograms are, in venue signages, on tickets, and on television banners.

“From now until 2016, the pictograms will serve as a communication platform for the promotion of the sports, for partner activations, and will be present in all the Games’ visual identity, including their application in venue decoration, signposting, tickets and licensed products, among other things.”

Beth Lula (Rio 2016 Brand Director)

During the creation of the Paralympic pictograms, Rio 2016’s team of designers aimed to exemplify the integration of the athletes’ different impairments with sport in a balanced, natural way, depicting prostheses, blindfolds and other elements.

The pictograms were completed in 16 months, five of which were devoted to the validation of the pictograms by the 42 International Federations. All in all, there are 64 pictograms, 41 Olympicand 23 Paralympic . The pictograms can be used both inside and outside the pebbles, in different colors.